棉花里裹着针，软里硬棉花里裹著針，軟里硬棉花里裹着針，軟里硬

a needle wrapped in cotton: soft outside, hard inside

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Rarely used now

Meaning: Someone who looks soft and meek but is actually tough. Neutral to approving.
Wordplay: 硬 yìng means both physically hard and firm or tough in attitude.

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Simplified: 棉花里裹着针，软里硬
Traditional (Taiwan): 棉花里裹著針，軟里硬
Traditional (Hong Kong): 棉花里裹着針，軟里硬
Pinyin: miánhua lǐ guǒzhe zhēn, ruǎn lǐ yìng
Bopomofo: ㄇㄧㄢˊ ˙ㄏㄨㄚㄌㄧˇ ㄍㄨㄛˇ ˙ㄓㄜㄓㄣ，ㄖㄨㄢˇ ㄌㄧˇ ㄧㄥˋ

Written with HSK 7-9 vocabulary, at CEFR level C1.

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